Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Letterpress Project by Anabelle O'Malley*see Anabelle's sketch on the sidebar*

Anabelle Notes: I was really excited to get started with the Letterpress Starter kit! There was definitely a learning curve, but now that I've figured out how to use it, I'm sure it will be something I reach for again and again. The starter kit comes with everything to begin. However, the extra printing plates are wonderful additions. I love the holiday themed ones and used them to make this gift bag filled with tags. I plan on making Christmas cards with them, as well, and given the ease of using the system, I know I'll be able to crank out a bunch of them in one sitting.

I thought I'd share some things I discovered while I was playing with the kit:

First, you need a machine to run the plate through. Lifestyle Crafts' machine is called the Epic. But, since I didn't have that, I simply used my Cuttlebug. It worked great!

Next, there is an adhesive backing that comes with each design plate. You lay the plate on it and cut it out. This holds it to the panel as you run it through the machine. I decided to add a bit of Alene's Tack It Over and Over to each one instead. It worked like a charm and was much easier. This adhesive will stick to the plates so I can use them again and again.

Finally, let's talk clean up. The ink is very thick and doesn't come off with soap and water. You do need to use the special cleaner (that is available in the store). However, I discovered that vegetable oil does the trick as well. It's a bit messy, though, so I think I'm going to spring for the cleaner next time.

Overall, the Letterpress System was fun to use and I love the results. I'm sure you'll be seeing more letterpressed projects from me in the future!

Note: Try your hand at coloring your own ribbon! Just take white or ivory ribbon and color over it with a Copic marker. We're currently out of the narrow ribbon, but the 1.5" ribbon will work just as well!-